The Black Freedom Struggle Of The 1960s - 1664 Words

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of many of the most significant events of the Black Freedom Struggle of the 1960s. Two years ago, we celebrated the March on Washington; last year we recognized the 1964 Civil Rights Act that ended Jim Crow apartheid in the South. This year, we have already seen commemorations of the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and summer’s end will see the fiftieth anniversary of the Watts Rebellion in Los Angeles. Yet, looking on the TV, radio, newspapers or social media, it’s easy to forget what decade we’re currently in. The recent cover of TIME Magazine illustrated beautifully the juxtaposition between where people think we are in the context of social and racial equality, and where most positions actually stand. The cover portrays a grainy, black and white photo of a young black man running down the street, face covered with a bandana, away from a mob of police officers with shields, weapons and pepper spray billowing out from their canisters. â€Å"America, 1968 2015,† it reads. That simple text neatly summed up an entire city’s (and race’s) frustrations, riots, and outcries in one neat package. The sad reality is that the majority of the white population in the United States would like to watch movies like Selma or 12 Years a Slave and be appalled at the treatment of Africans at the time, and convince themselves that because they don’t support legal slavery and segregation, they are suddenly no longer racist. That, however, is clearlyShow MoreRelatedThe African American Struggle for Civil Rights in the 1960s760 Words   |  3 PagesAfrican American struggle for civil rights in the United States change between the early and late 1960s? The civil rights movement was an influential movement that has been taking place in America for many years. Victories during this time helped to raise hope for African Americans during this influential movement. In the beginning of the movement there was a focus on nonviolence, and the non-violent techniques began to pay off in the early 1960s. As the time progressed the struggle for AfricanRead MoreAnalysis Of Bloody Lowndes1569 Words   |  7 Pages Critical Analysis Paper of Bloody Lowndes by Hasan Jefferies The Civil Rights Struggle Markà © C. Wrisborne AFTS/ HIST 3390: The Modern Civil Rights Movement Dr. Michael Williams November 13, 2017 Bloody Lowndes was written by a historian named Hassan Kwame Jefferies. The book details the African American struggles faced in the fight for freedom in the rural area of Lowndes County, during the1960’s. He examines different activist groups, the leaders within thoseRead MoreImpact Of The Civil Rights Movement1624 Words   |  7 PagesIn the 1960s, the United States was on the verge of a major social change. Racism was at the core of the civil rights movement, and its effects that led to systematic discrimination experienced by blacks in work, housing and the education system. Black Americans are Americans, but they had subsisted as second class citizens in the only land they knew. The civil rights movement was a political, legal, and social struggle so that African Americans in the United States could become full citizens. ThisRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1180 Words   |  5 Pagescivil rights movement was the unachievable triumph that the blacks sought after and built. Through courage, persistence, and determination, the African Americans won their independence (enotes, 2010). The civil rights evolution was a period when society was oppressed for many years, rose up against the disadvantage and accomplished their freedom. Many were unsettled with the way the civil rights movement was being toted out in the 1960s (Marable, 1992). As a consequence, someone assassinated theRead MoreThe Sixties s Impact On American Society1307 Words   |  6 Pages The 1960s The 1960s are frequently referred to as a period of social protest and dissent. Antiwar demonstrators, civil-rights activists, feminists, and members of various other social groups demanded what they considered to be justice and sought reparation for the wrongs they believed they had suffered. The decade marked a shift from a collective view on politics, to a much more individualistic viewpoint. The 1960s could easily be characterized as a period during which political, ideological, andRead MoreEssay on Waiting Til the Midnight Hour1733 Words   |  7 PagesJerome Carlos Johnson SOCI 3345: Sociology of the 1960’s Five Page Book Review: Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour by Peniel Joseph February 28, 2013 Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour by Peniel Joseph Within the eleven chapters that comprise Waiting Til the Midnight Hour lays a treasure chest of information for anyone interested in Black or African American history, particularly the civil rights movement that took place during the 1950’s and 1960’s. I am a self-professed scholar of African AmericanRead MoreNew Negro Essay984 Words   |  4 Pagesincluding the option of relocation in search of better living conditions. The mass movement of black people from the rural areas of the South to the cities of the North, known as the Black Migration, came in the 1890s when black men and women left the south to settle in cities such as Philadelphia and New York, fleeing from the rise of Jim Crowe Laws and searching for work. This migration of blacks from the South has been an important factor in the formation of the Harlem Renaissance. The periodRead MoreMalcolm X Essay855 Words   |  4 Pagesera of the 1950’s and 1960’s. By the early 1960’s he had g rown frustrated with the non violent, integrated struggle for civil rights and worried that blacks would ultimately lose control of their own movement. Malcolm X was a key spokesman for the nation of Islam, epitomized the â€Å"Black Power† philosophy. Malcolm became an influential leader of the nation of islam, which combined Islam with black nationalism and sought to encourage and enfranchise disadvantaged young blacks searching for confidenceRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement During The 1960 S1224 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout US history there has been a lot of political, social and economical changes, and all these changes have had positive and negative effects on the people of the US.   During the 1960’s there were a lot of changes and one of these major changes was know as The Civil Rights Movement.   The civil rights movement was a movement created by African Americans to achieve rights equal to white people and have equal opportunity in housing, employ ment, education, the right to vote, and to not be segregatedRead MoreEssay on Development of African American Studies1148 Words   |  5 PagesGreat Depression. In 1939, Gunnar Myrdal from Sweden started the study of black life, which was funded by the Carnegie Corporation. The years following were periods of debate and legitimization of the discipline. (Harris) The 1960’s were a period of vision and change, so it only makes sense that Black Studies fostered during this time. A time where people were dedicated to ending the struggles and making strides for black power, liberation, and equal rights. This movement was not only a social shift

The Black Freedom Struggle Of The 1960s - 1664 Words

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of many of the most significant events of the Black Freedom Struggle of the 1960s. Two years ago, we celebrated the March on Washington; last year we recognized the 1964 Civil Rights Act that ended Jim Crow apartheid in the South. This year, we have already seen commemorations of the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and summer’s end will see the fiftieth anniversary of the Watts Rebellion in Los Angeles. Yet, looking on the TV, radio, newspapers or social media, it’s easy to forget what decade we’re currently in. The recent cover of TIME Magazine illustrated beautifully the juxtaposition between where people think we are in the context of social and racial equality, and where most positions actually stand. The cover portrays a grainy, black and white photo of a young black man running down the street, face covered with a bandana, away from a mob of police officers with shields, weapons and pepper spray billowing out from their canisters. â€Å"America, 1968 2015,† it reads. That simple text neatly summed up an entire city’s (and race’s) frustrations, riots, and outcries in one neat package. The sad reality is that the majority of the white population in the United States would like to watch movies like Selma or 12 Years a Slave and be appalled at the treatment of Africans at the time, and convince themselves that because they don’t support legal slavery and segregation, they are suddenly no longer racist. That, however, is clearlyShow MoreRelatedThe African American Struggle for Civil Rights in the 1960s760 Words   |  3 PagesAfrican American struggle for civil rights in the United States change between the early and late 1960s? The civil rights movement was an influential movement that has been taking place in America for many years. Victories during this time helped to raise hope for African Americans during this influential movement. In the beginning of the movement there was a focus on nonviolence, and the non-violent techniques began to pay off in the early 1960s. As the time progressed the struggle for AfricanRead MoreAnalysis Of Bloody Lowndes1569 Words   |  7 Pages Critical Analysis Paper of Bloody Lowndes by Hasan Jefferies The Civil Rights Struggle Markà © C. Wrisborne AFTS/ HIST 3390: The Modern Civil Rights Movement Dr. Michael Williams November 13, 2017 Bloody Lowndes was written by a historian named Hassan Kwame Jefferies. The book details the African American struggles faced in the fight for freedom in the rural area of Lowndes County, during the1960’s. He examines different activist groups, the leaders within thoseRead MoreImpact Of The Civil Rights Movement1624 Words   |  7 PagesIn the 1960s, the United States was on the verge of a major social change. Racism was at the core of the civil rights movement, and its effects that led to systematic discrimination experienced by blacks in work, housing and the education system. Black Americans are Americans, but they had subsisted as second class citizens in the only land they knew. The civil rights movement was a political, legal, and social struggle so that African Americans in the United States could become full citizens. ThisRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1180 Words   |  5 Pagescivil rights movement was the unachievable triumph that the blacks sought after and built. Through courage, persistence, and determination, the African Americans won their independence (enotes, 2010). The civil rights evolution was a period when society was oppressed for many years, rose up against the disadvantage and accomplished their freedom. Many were unsettled with the way the civil rights movement was being toted out in the 1960s (Marable, 1992). As a consequence, someone assassinated theRead MoreThe Sixties s Impact On American Society1307 Words   |  6 Pages The 1960s The 1960s are frequently referred to as a period of social protest and dissent. Antiwar demonstrators, civil-rights activists, feminists, and members of various other social groups demanded what they considered to be justice and sought reparation for the wrongs they believed they had suffered. The decade marked a shift from a collective view on politics, to a much more individualistic viewpoint. The 1960s could easily be characterized as a period during which political, ideological, andRead MoreEssay on Waiting Til the Midnight Hour1733 Words   |  7 PagesJerome Carlos Johnson SOCI 3345: Sociology of the 1960’s Five Page Book Review: Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour by Peniel Joseph February 28, 2013 Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour by Peniel Joseph Within the eleven chapters that comprise Waiting Til the Midnight Hour lays a treasure chest of information for anyone interested in Black or African American history, particularly the civil rights movement that took place during the 1950’s and 1960’s. I am a self-professed scholar of African AmericanRead MoreNew Negro Essay984 Words   |  4 Pagesincluding the option of relocation in search of better living conditions. The mass movement of black people from the rural areas of the South to the cities of the North, known as the Black Migration, came in the 1890s when black men and women left the south to settle in cities such as Philadelphia and New York, fleeing from the rise of Jim Crowe Laws and searching for work. This migration of blacks from the South has been an important factor in the formation of the Harlem Renaissance. The periodRead MoreMalcolm X Essay855 Words   |  4 Pagesera of the 1950’s and 1960’s. By the early 1960’s he had g rown frustrated with the non violent, integrated struggle for civil rights and worried that blacks would ultimately lose control of their own movement. Malcolm X was a key spokesman for the nation of Islam, epitomized the â€Å"Black Power† philosophy. Malcolm became an influential leader of the nation of islam, which combined Islam with black nationalism and sought to encourage and enfranchise disadvantaged young blacks searching for confidenceRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement During The 1960 S1224 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout US history there has been a lot of political, social and economical changes, and all these changes have had positive and negative effects on the people of the US.   During the 1960’s there were a lot of changes and one of these major changes was know as The Civil Rights Movement.   The civil rights movement was a movement created by African Americans to achieve rights equal to white people and have equal opportunity in housing, employ ment, education, the right to vote, and to not be segregatedRead MoreEssay on Development of African American Studies1148 Words   |  5 PagesGreat Depression. In 1939, Gunnar Myrdal from Sweden started the study of black life, which was funded by the Carnegie Corporation. The years following were periods of debate and legitimization of the discipline. (Harris) The 1960’s were a period of vision and change, so it only makes sense that Black Studies fostered during this time. A time where people were dedicated to ending the struggles and making strides for black power, liberation, and equal rights. This movement was not only a social shift

Thoughts of Francis Bacon About Love Free Essays

Of Love The ‘Essays’ of Francis Bacon are the first in date of classics of English prose, in proper sense of the term. They are used as class-books almost as much of Shakespeare’s plays. No one in English literature has ever written a greater number of essays packed with striking formulas and loaded with practical wisdom. We will write a custom essay sample on Thoughts of Francis Bacon About Love or any similar topic only for you Order Now Bacon’s Essays’ are the fruit of his close observation of human life. They have been described to be the treasure house of wisdom. ‘Of Love’ is one of most famous essays of Francis Bacon. He discloses his philosophical thoughts on love. This essay is bound to have a wide appeal because of the subject it deals with. But it is a matter of great sorrow that bacon’s treatment towards love is really disappointing. In the beginning of the essay Bacon clears his position and thought against love and its greater role. According to Bacon, Love plays a greater role in the theatre than in actual life of man. Through this kind of thought he wants to tell that love is a matter of enjoyment that can be best suited only in plays or dramas. Not only that, he says in actual or practical life of a man love can not contribute much. According to Bacon, Love has always provided or rendered material for comic plays and sometime, for tragic plays. But in real life, love causes much mischief. Here Bacon clearly says that it is love which may wreck the career of a man. For example he mentioned the name of Antony and Othello who both were greatly troubled with the consequences of love. In this essay Bacon mainly deals with the disadvantages of love. Here Bacon speaks like a puritan moralist. He observes that no worthy person of ancient or modern time has been transformed to the mad of 3rddegree of love. Bacon opines that we are created to ponder over noble and great objects of human life. He does not support of kneeling a man before a woman for the sake of love and for some sorts of sensuous pleasure. It is really strange to observe that the passion of love twist or distort a man’s judgment. It is love that bounds a man to be a flatterer and at the same time a lover becomes absurd in his use of extravagant words about his beloved. Therefore he has rightly said that one cannot love and be wise at the same time. A lover does not like to lose his love in exchange of anything I getting Helen, Paris had to sacrifice both riches and wisdom though he finally lost Helen. Loving others is a Universal character in a man. If a man does not concentrate his love upon one or a few individuals, naturally his love will extend too many people. Thus he may become a kind hearted and Charitable if he grasps the opportunity of loving a large number of people In the last part of the essay, Bacon says that married love is beneficial to mankind but immoral love is really dangerous. It is, indeed, very difficult to agree with Bacon in his remarks on the subjects of love. Here we don’t have impartial treatment of love. Bacon regards love as Child of folly. It may be wise policy to exercise love with in limkits and not to allow interrupt with business. It is very realistic and natural that a lover has to sacrifice for the sake of his beloved. But the fact is that love is something grand and sublime. It is one of the most inspring and ennobling passing of mankind. It often is able to bring out the best that is in man. Tennyson has rightly said that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. A man who has never loved has missed the opportunity of the greatest experience of life. The/ecstasy of love the golden dreams which ot gaves rise to, its thrills and excitement, are may be unknown to Bacon. Half the literature of the world deals with the joy and glory of love. Bacon would perhaps regard this literasy works as trash. It is indeed. Bacon sounds almost ridiculous while speaking of love. Francis Bacon is a Renaissance product and his essays reflect the Renaissance spirit. He may be called an eloquent prophet of new age of human thought and human activity initiated by the Renassance. In spite of being a special kind of moralist, Bacon criticised ove in his essay â€Å"OF Love† When he takes his position against love, we the common people feel sorry for Bacon as he may not be justified with what he said against love. He has mentioned the fake of Aotonio and paris in this essay. According to him they both have lost their valuable position. But at the same time both of them have gained a eternal place in Human mind for their sacrifice for love. We still remember and shed tears for Paris and Antorio but not for Bacon Who has outspoken against love which is an inborn god gifted quality of a human being. How to cite Thoughts of Francis Bacon About Love, Essay examples

Arsenic And Old Lace Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Arsenic And Old Lace Essay, Research Paper Get downing with Acts of the Apostless such as Abbott and Costello, and episodes of I Love Lucy, wit is frequently the consequence of a misinterpretation. In the film, Arsenic and Old Lace, the secret plan combines slaying and insanity. Arsenic and Old Lace, apparently outlines a enigma or play, nevertheless with the add-on of misinterpretation, it becomes a comedy. The wit is drawn from the characters # 8217 ; relationships with one another every bit good as the characters themselves, being misunderstood. The film centres on two sisters, Abby and Martha, and their nephew Mortimer. The misconstruing prevarications between the sisters and the townsfolk. Abby and Martha are known as Sweet, sort, and charitable, nevertheless, the town is unmindful to the sisters # 8217 ; avocation of poisoning old work forces and burying them in their basement. There is even a misinterpretation with the sisters themselves, as they see nil incorrect with what they do, and do no effort to fell it. Yet, the wit of the film is when their nephew, Mortimer, finds the organic structures, and is rather flustered to detect how his aunts handle it with such unconcern. Humor is besides found in the misinterpretation between Mortimer and his Brewster household. Throughout the full film, Mortimer finds himself ashamed of his Brewster name. He discovers that his aunts maintain 12 organic structures in the cellar. Mortimer besides receives a visit from his moonstruck brother John, who, like his aunts, slayings people. While Mortimer discovers more about his insane household, he still must cover with his brother Theodore, who believes that he is President Roosevelt. Finally, Mortimer commits his brother Theodore along with his aunts to an insane refuge. The wit in this scene is at the very terminal of the film when Mortimer finds out from his aunts that he is non truly a Brewster, instead a boy of a sea boat captain. Arsenic and Old Lace, is non the typical comedy, yet contains all of the elements necessary to suit into the wit genre. The thought of being misunderstood is one so common ; it has appeared in many movies, both play and comedy. Arsenic and Old Lace contains a secret plan that is alone. The film # 8217 ; s thoughts entirely are common, yet together they mix an unusual blend of wit.

Julius Caesar And Romero Essays - , Term Papers

Julius Caesar And Romero In the play of Julius Caesar, we see a brief picture of Roman life during the time of the First Triumvirate. In this snap shot, we see many unfortunate things. Shakespeare gives us the idea that many people try to circumvent what the future holds, such as unfortunate things, by being superstitious. Superstition seems to play a role in the basic daily life of most Roman citizens. For instance, the setting of the first scene is based upon superstition, the Feast of Lupercal. This feast is in honor of the god Pan, the queen of fertility. During this time, infertile females are supposed to be able to procreate, and fertile ones are supposed to be able to bear more. It is also a supposed time of sexual glorification and happiness. Other scenes depict how throughout Rome, roaming the streets are mysterious sooth-sayers, who are supposedly given the power to predict the future. Dictating what is to come through terse tidbits, these people may also be looked upon as superstitious. In the opening scene, one sooth-sayer, old in his years, warns Caesar to "Beware the Ides of March," an admonition of Caesar's impending death. Although sooth-sayers are looked upon by many as insane out of touch lower classmen, a good deal of them, obviously including the sayer Caesar encountered, are indeed right on the mark. Since they lack any formal office or shop, and they predict forthcomings without fee, one can see quite easily why citizens would distrust their predictions. Superstition, in general elements such as the Feast of Lupercal, as well as on a personal level such as with the sooth-sayers, is an important factor in determining the events and the outcome of Julius Caesar, a significant force throughout the entire course of the play. Before the play fully unravels, we see a few of signs of Caesar's tragic end. Aside from the sooth-sayer's warning, we also see another sign during Caesar's visit with the Augerers, the latter day "psychics". They find "No heart in the beast", which they interpret as advice to Caesar that he should remain at home. Ceasar brushes it off and thinks of it as a rebuke from the gods, meaning that he is a coward if he does not go out, and so he dismisses the wise advice as hearsay. However, the next morning, his wife Calphurnia wakes up frightened due to a horrible nightmare. She tells Caesar of a battle breaking out in the heart of Rome, "Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol," with Caesar painfully dying, such that "...The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes." Although Caesar realizes Calphurnia is truly concerned about his well-being, he seeks another interpretation, coming to the conclusion that the person who imagines the dream may not be the wisest one to interpret it's meaning. Later Caesar tells his faithful companion Decius about it, and he interprets it quite the contrary, "That it was a vision fair and fortunate," and indeed, today is an ideal day to go out, since this is the day "To give a crown to mighty Caesar." Perhaps Decius is implying here that today is a day where much appreciation and appraisal will be given to Caesar, surely not the endangerment of his well-being as Calphurnia interprets it. Caesar predictably agrees with him, as most citizens enjoy believing the more positive of two interpretations. After Caesar's assasination at the hand of Brutus, Cassius, and the rest of the conspirators, Brutus and Cassius are chased into the country side, where we see a few superstitious signs of their forthcoming painful death in battle. In a dream, Brutus sees Caesar's "ghost", interpreted as an omen of his defeat. He also looks upon the ensign, and instead of the usual stock of eagles, ravens and kites replace them, construed as another sign of their loss at Phillipi. Not surprisingly, Caesar's death is avenged in the end, with the two of the conspirators' double suicide. As superstition is inter-twined within the basis of the entire play, we can reasonably conclude that it is because of this irrational belief of why certain events occur and how to avoid them, that Caesar is retired and eventually avenged. In the words of Caesar's devoted follower and companion Mark Antony, "His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed in him that Nature might stand up and say to the world, 'This was a man!'"

When Is the April ACT Should You Take It

When Is the April ACT Should You Take It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're planning to take the ACT in the spring, you might be wondering: should you take the April ACT? Or will you be better off taking the ACT on a different test date? In this article, we cover everything you need to know about the April ACT, including when the exam is, whether your scores will get to your schools in time, and the pros and cons of taking the ACT in April. When Is the April ACT? The April ACT generally takes place on the second Saturday of the month. Below are the April ACT dates and deadlines for 2020, 2021, and 2022. The 2020 dates have all been confirmed by ACT, Inc., whereas the others are projections based on historical data: Test Date Registration Deadline Late Registration Deadline / Deadline for Changes Standby Request Deadline April 4, 2020 February 28, 2020 March 13, 2020 March 27, 2020 April 3, 2021 February 26, 2021 March 12, 2021 April 2, 2021 April 2, 2022 February 25, 2022 March 11, 2022 April 1, 2022 Source: ACT.org The ACT registration fees are $67 with the Writing section and $50.50 without the Writing section. The April ACT is offered in the US, US territories, and Canada, as well as internationally. Most students register for the April ACT by the normal registration deadline. If you register during the late registration period, you must pay an additional late registration fee of $30. If you miss both registration deadlines, you might still be able to take the ACT in April- as long as you sign up for standby testing by the standby deadline (which is normally eight days before the test date). Students on standby are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. To request standby, you must pay both the regular registration fee and a $53 standby fee. (However, both of these fees will be refunded to you if you are denied admission on test day.) Once the standby deadline has passed, there is no way to take the April ACT, and you will have to select a different ACT test date. When Will April ACT Scores Be Released? Each year, April ACT scores are released to test takers online starting 10 days after test day and may continue to be released until as late as June. These dates are only for the multiple-choice scores and do not include your Writing score (which is separate from your composite score out of 36 points). If you opt for the essay, expect to receive your essay score approximately two weeks after your multiple-choice and composite ACT scores. Most test takers will receive their April ACT scores within two weeks after the test date. If your scores take longer to process, the delay might be due to potential problems such as testing irregularities, incorrect identification information, or outstanding registration fees. As for your colleges, when schools receive April ACT scores can vary significantly. ACT, Inc. will send your ACT scores to the colleges you chose during registration as soon as your official scores are released online, which usually happens in late April. However, some colleges don't process scores right away or as often as other schools do, so be sure to give your schools ample time to process your scores long before any of your college applications are due. For those who are taking the April ACT with Writing, your ACT scores will not be reported or sent to colleges until the essay has been graded as well. This means that most test takers will have to wait around a minimum of four weeks (two weeks for the multiple-choice scores and two extra weeks for the Writing score) until their official ACT scores are reported online and sent to their designated schools. Will Your April ACT Scores Get to Your Schools in Time? In a word, yes! Official ACT scores are reported online (and sent to your schools) usually by mid- to late April. Assuming you are taking the ACT your junior year of high school and have not yet finished your college applications, these scores should have ample time to get to your schools before any deadlines. The bulk of college application deadlines in the US are anywhere from mid-autumn to early winter, and this applies to early action/early decision deadlines, too. Worst case scenario, even if your April ACT scores aren't released until June and your colleges take one month to process your scores, you should still have more than enough time before any of your applications are due! Pros and Cons of Taking the April ACT Struggling to decide whether to take the April ACT? No matter what year you're thinking of taking it, here are some of the pros and cons to consider before you make your decision. Pros of Taking the April ACT Your scores are guaranteed to arrive to your schools in time- even for early action or early decision plans. As I mentioned above, the vast majority of April ACT scores should be reported within two weeks after the test date and by June at the latest. Luckily, all these time frames leave you with plenty of time to get your ACT scores to your colleges well before even the earliest of autumn deadlines. You can get the ACT out of the way before starting your college applications. If you take the April ACT as a junior (or even as a sophomore) and do well on it- meaning you don't need to retake it as a 12th grader- you'll have the entire summer and first semester of your senior year to focus entirely on college applications. You'll have at least one final shot to get the scores you want in the fall of your senior year. We normally recommend that students take the ACT two to three times in total: first in the fall of your junior year, second in the spring of your junior year, and third (if necessary) in the fall of your senior year. By taking the April ACT, even if your scores aren't where you want them to be, you'll have the entire summer and first semester of your senior year to study and prep for the September or October ACT. Cons of Taking the April ACT You'll have to study primarily during the school year. In order to do well on the April ACT, you'll have to study for the exam in the months leading up to it- that is, for most of your spring semester your junior (or sophomore) year. But this can be difficult to do, especially if you're also trying to study for AP exams (which are in May) and finals. If you think you'll get easily overwhelmed, or you're expecting to have tons of activities going on spring semester, consider taking the ACT on a different date. You might need to study during your spring break. Those planning to take the April ACT will likely have to spend the bulk of their spring breaks preparing for the exam (unless your spring break is after the test- if so, lucky you!). Although you don't need to dedicate your entire spring break to ACT prep, it's advisable that you spend as much time as you can studying, particularly if your break is right around test day. Sadly, this means you might not be able to enjoy your "time off" as much as you'd like to! Key Takeaways: Taking the ACT in April The next April ACT date will be on Saturday, April 4, 2020. Regardless of whether you're reading this guide before the April test date or way after it, you can still use this information to plan ahead and prepare for the next April ACT. April ACT scores are typically released starting 10 days after the test date. (If you registered for the Writing section, you'll get your essay score about two weeks after you get your multiple-choice and composite ACT scores.) Assuming you take the April ACT in your junior or sophomore year, your scores should have plenty of time to get to colleges prior to application deadlines. Before registering for the ACT in April, take time to consider whether you're OK with spending most of your spring semester and spring break preparing for the exam. If not, a different date might be a better option for you! What's Next? Need help deciding when to take the ACT? Learn when you should take the ACT for the first time, and get expert tips on how to find the best test date for you. For more information on when you can take the ACT, check out our detailed guide to this year's and future ACT test dates. Ready to ace the ACT? Then you'll love our 15 ACT tips and tricks guaranteed to improve your score. And don't forget about our comprehensive guide to getting a perfect ACT score- written by a 36 full scorer! Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Case Study Mcdonalds

It operates over 35000 restaurants in more than 100 countries on six continents. 5 It has an unparalleled global infrastructure and competencies in restaurant operations, real estate, retailing, marketing and franchising. McDonald’s website says that it is a leader in the area of social responsibility and is committed to protecting the environment for future generations. 7 Strong and wide communication channel in the market. (deng, 2009) 8 Play areas for children. 9 Large target markets. 10 Recession resistant (Birchall, 2008) 11 In September 2003 successful backing up of new products was launched with MTV’s advertising campaign featuring the new tag line, â€Å"I’m Lovin’it†. (Jennifer, 2004) WEAKNESSES 1 McDonald’s has not achieved its growth expectations in past several years. Narrow Product lines. (deng, 2009) 3 McDonald’s brand association as a junk food. (deng, 2009) 4 Few option for healthy eating 5 High employee turnover rates. (macy, 2012) 6 McDonald’s also have some bad effects on environment. (ltd. , 2006) 7 McDonald’s also faces many types of legal actions on many issues. OPPORTUNITIES 1 Product packing for McDonalds now features QR codes for customers to get nutritional information. Mcnamara, 2013) 2 Opportunity to enlarge market, the consumers who care about health issue. (deng, 2009) 3 Slightly changing market brand image of McDonalds. (deng, 2009) 4 In 2009, McDonald’s launched its hefty Angus burger in all U. S. A locations. 5 Introduction of trans-fat-free French fries in all restaurants in the U. S. A and Canada. 6 Introduction of McCafe. 7 Testing marketing fruits and vegetables as happy meal at some outlets. 8 McDonald’s franchises overseas became a favorite target of people and groups expressing antiglobalization sentiments. Entry into new and highly popular product categories. THREATS 1 Public attack about obesity issue. (deng, 2009) 2 Changing taste of consumers. (deng, 2009) 3 Unable to keep patrons as special order sandwiches offered by rivals Burger King and Wendy’s. 4 Promotional plans like McDonalds game found conspiracy with 51 people charged in a part of scam winning $24 million by stealing winning McDonald’s tickets. 5 McDonalds showed a delayed effect than other restaurants operators in switching over to zero trans-fat cooking oil. In 2001 McDonald’s was sued for hurting religious sentiments by vegetarian groups for not revealing its flavors in French fries as it added beef extract to vegetable oil and showing it as veg in menu. 7 Consum ers began filing law suits that eating at McDonald’s had made them over weight. 8 Competition from burger kings and Wendy’s. (Thomadsen, 2007) MARKET SEGMENTATION TARGET MARKET| BABY BOOMERS| GENERATION X| GENERATION Y| GENERATION Z| DEMOGRAPHICS| 45-65+| 35-44| 19-34| 0-18| GEOGRAPHICS| URBAN| URBAN| URBAN| URBAN| PSYCOGRAPHICS| More concerned with low cholesterol food| More concerned with low fat food| More concerned with physical fitness food products| Generally eats taste oriented food products| BEHAVIOURAL| Mostly concerned with good quality of food products| Requires access with quick and fresh food service| Generally catch-up food by themselves by reaching out| Check out with friends and family| ISSUE ANALYSIS In 2004,Morgan Spurlock’s documentary film Super-Size Me gave very criticism to McDonald’s fast â€Å"nutrition†, in which he shows how he gains fat and destroy his health by eating McDonald’s. 2 In 1998 McDonald’s started â€Å"Made for you† System but it was not successful. There was a decrease in growth of sales in stores. 3 In 1999 before the implementation of â€Å"made for you â€Å"scheme ,McDonald’s planned to provide about 190 million in financial assistance to its franchisees ,but the actual cost of implementing the system ran much higher than the corporation had estimated. In 2001, 51 people were charged conspiring to rig McDonald’s game promotions over the course of several years, revealing that $24 million of winning McDonald’s game tickets had been stolen as a part of scam. 5 In 2004, McDonald’s was sued for extracting a small amount beef added in to the vegetable oil used for cooking French fries. 6 Many people still complain that the food served by McDonald’s is not hot to eat. RECOMMENDATIONS PRODUCT :- 1 McDonald’s should provide hot food to eat because many customers complaint that their food is not so hot to eat otherwise it will affect sales. McDonalds should bring some new healthier products for all ages because bad effect on health is one of the weaknesses of McDonald’s and bringing some healthier food will help to overcome this image. 3 McDonald’s should provide some free snacks because it will help it compete with its competitors and increase sales. 4 McDonalds should make their products in fat free oil because it will have good effect on health. 5 McDonald’s should also provide some regional food because in this way some rural people will also start accepting its products. Launching of new fried and bone in treats in Chicago. PRICE:- 1 The price of products should be affordable because if they will not be affordable to small income group then its sale will be affected and it will also give the opportunity to competitors to increase their sales. 2 The prices of products should be regularly checked so as to compete with competition because people will buy those products which they can get in low price. PLACE:- 1 McDonald’s should open new franchises in small cities also . It will help them to expand its business and increase growth. McDonald’s should increase the number of its franchises in all countries in order to expand its business. PROMOTION:- 1 McDonald’s should provide some discount on more products purchased because in this way people will buy more. Because some people will start purchasing more items if they can get discount. 2 McDonald’s should provide home delivery service because sometimes some people can’t go to store in order to pu rchase them. It will increase sales. 3 McDonald’s should provide online sale because in this way people can place their orders online. McDonald’s is working on new salads and wraps . (wong, 2013) 5 McDonald, s will test the new fried and bone in treats in Chicago. (wong, 2013) 6 Success of mighty wings in Atlanta. (wong, 2013) BEST RECOMMENDATIONS PRODUCT:- McDonald’s should provide some healthier food for all ages because health obesity is the major problem with McDonald’s . In this way they can get good image regarding health. PRICE:- Prices of products should be regularly checked in order to compete with competition because people will cheapest product. PLACE:- McDonald’s should open new small franchises at small cities also because it will help him to expand its business and increase growth rates. PROMOTION:- McDonald’s should provide home delivery service because sometimes people can’t go to store in order to purchase product. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bibliography Birchall, J. (2008). McDonalds claims fast food sales fighting off slowdown. Financial times. deng, t. (2009, may). McDonalds new strategy on changing attitudes and communication. International journal of marketing studies, 37-42. Jennifer, R. (2004). online branding :the case of McDonalds. ritish food journal. ltd. , n. m. (2006). ICCR sponsered proxy resolutions on genetically modified organisms gain recognition among shareholders at wendys McDonalds . financial wire. macy, a. (2012). financing a remodel:a case of McDonalds Franchisee. journal of case research in business and economics. Mcnamara, B. (2013). McDonalds give the people what they want. Nutrition business journal. Thomadsen, r. (2007). product positiong and competion:the role of location in the fast food industry. Marketing science. wong, V. (2013). will McDonalds mighty wings fly? Business weak.

ACT 19 COCA-COLA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ACT 19 COCA-COLA - Essay Example The company maintains high ethical standards and it is a corporate citizen. Coca-Cola has had positive impacts on the Russian community and economy in general. The company has provided jobs to most individuals in the Russian economy. In addition to, Coca-Cola was the primary sponsor of the first Olympic Games in Moscow. In the Russia, the government does not allow homosexuality. On the other hand, Coca-Cola supports gays worldwide which is against the Russian laws. In Russia, the government banned the sale of Coca-Cola to children under the age of eighteen years old. The prohibition on sale of Coca-Cola to underage children is to protect their health. The parliament of Russia ban on the drink was because of the expert opinion of the adverse effects of Coca Cola on the human body. The demand for the drink in Russia has fallen, and the company has opted to close down some of the factories in the country. It is because the company is under criticism for the production of unhealthy products for its citizens. Coca-Cola Company is one of the largest non-alcoholic drinks in Germany. The company has American roots though it has a strong foundation in the country. The Coca-Cola Company provides economic value to the economy of Germany. It has positive impacts on the German economy because it has positive effects on the German GDP. It provides approximately1 billion dollars in tax to the German economy. It provides employment to most German individuals in the country. It is a stable employer in the country because it provides employment to many individuals. Coca-Cola sponsors some stadiums and sporting events in the country. It also sponsors numerous sporting events in the country. For example, the company sponsored the 2006 World Cup in the country. It was one of the major corporations to sponsor the World Cup in the country. The company works hand in hand with some enterprises in the Germany. Germany benefits more from the efforts of Coca-Cola

Image ethics, Image editing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Image ethics, Image editing - Research Paper Example The deception commonly occurs because of the increased idolization and desire for individuals to possess pictures of celebrities. Personal pictures of celebrities might be difficult to access, but the editing technology can be utilized to gain an image of a much adored celebrity. While this technology remains commonly utilized among many media, ethical questions continue to arise regarding the application of the technology. Despite the numerous prevailing ethical issues surrounding application of the technology, laws seeking to prevent the utilization of the technology continue to become continuously silenced. This continues to be contributed by the numerous advantages of the technology upon the industry. A comparison between the contributions of the technology upon photography and the existing negativity of the technology indicates the technology might not be eliminated. Introduction Image editing remains a technology that has been applied since the introduction of photography itsel f. ... This activity has become a pastime occupation for many individuals as it continues to gain popularity in the modern world. In fact, the practice, though unaccepted by the creators of Photoshop software, has almost become accepted as a modern form of visual art. Importance of image editing Image editing is performed for different reasons, which remain fundamentally focused on enhancing satisfaction to the owners of the image. Within the print media, editing of images is commonly performed as a method for improvement of image quality (Anders and Benson, 117). Some photos taken by journalists are taken within extremely difficult conditions and might be distorted. The need to present clear pictures necessitates utilization of editing to enhance the quality. Through editing, blurred images can be clarified to give them definite outlines, consequently improving image clarity (Lister, 75). The editing technology remains fundamental in making essential conversions of images to digital form s. This conversion has enabled quick and easy transferring of images between different locations, while retaining original image aspects and appearance. The digital era continues to bring numerous aspects of modern imagery through the utilization of technological methods in production of images. The application of image editing technology remains essential in ensuring easy acquisition of images as required. The technology has provided the press with a quick and fast method for transferring images from different locations (Anders and Benson, 145). Through image editing publication, costs become extremely reduced, while making publication quick. This has continuously enabled larger and quick circulation of periodic publications especially newspapers. The presence of editing software has

Boyz N the Hood Essay Example for Free

Boyz N the Hood Essay In the movie Boyz N the Hood there is a constant conflict that follows many of the characters. The movie takes place in South Central Los Angeles, which is a very dangerous neighborhood. There are lots of shootings, drugs, and other crimes which take place there on a daily basis. This is a predominantly African American neighborhood and the movie portrays this idea with all black people. Throughout the movie, the conflict of every day violence and crime asserts itself and makes life tough for these young men. Tre, the main character, is forced to move in with his dad after he breaks a contract with his mom and gets into a little scuffle with one of his classmates at school. While living with his dad, he gets a taste of this bad neighborhood very early. The first night he is staying with his father, a burglar sneaks into the house and attempts to rob the house. Tre’s father hears the burglar in the family room and grabs his magnum and shoots at him frightening Tre. A day or two later after Tre gets back from the beach with his father he comes home to the sight of his good friend Doughboy getting taken away in a police car. He stole from a market because he had no money, got caught, and as a result he gets sent to jail. He realizes very quickly while living with his father that there is a lot of danger that is around him. The movie fast forwards seven years and the scene is a party at Ricky and Doughboy’s house, who are brothers. Doughboy had returned from one of his few trips to jail and there is a little welcome back party to celebrate for him. Shortly after his return, doughboy is hanging outside with two of his friends when a black man rips the necklace of his friend’s neck and bolts off. The three boys chase down the man and beat him on the ground; punching, kicking, and throwing a trash can at him and they get the necklace back. While Tre, Ricky, Doughboy, and the rest of their crew are at the Crenshaw car show one night, Ricky is bumped by a random man. Both crews start getting into and chipping back and forth and after the other men leave, the other crew unloads uzi clips into the air causing everyone to scatter. The following day Ricky and Tre are on a walk back to Ricky’s house from the market when they spot the red car in which the men from the other night ride in. They hop a fence and make it to a back alley and decide to split up. While Ricky is walking down the alley he spots the car again and tries to run away. They fire a shotgun at him twice and hit him in the leg and the chest. He instantly dies right in front of his best friend Ricky. Later that evening Doughboy and two of the other boys go to avenge their fallen brother. They find the three boys at a cafà © late at night and end up gunning down all three of them for killing Ricky. Day after day in South Central there is violence and crime and there is no getting away from that. At the end of the movie it says that Doughboy was murdered just two weeks later. The movie takes place in a very dangerous neighborhood and for some of the boys they pay the ultimate price, death. Luckily for Tre he is able to stay out of the violence, but he himself is put at gunpoint twice during the movie. No matter what the boys do there is nothing they can do about the crime and violence that takes place in their neighborhood. Day in and day out there is some kind of crime going on around them. This conflict haunts Tre and his friends throughout the whole movie, and unfortunately he loses to of his good longtime friends.

The Doctor’s Wife and So Long a Letter Essay -- Literature

Men have been shown to be the prime cause of competition between the women characters in the novels â€Å"The Doctor’s Wife† by Sawako Ariyoshi and â€Å"So Long a Letter† by Mariama Bà ¢. This is strongly evident in â€Å"The Doctor’s Wife† from the time Umpei returns home, after completing his education. A major change is also noticed in Otsugi’s behavior towards Kae. The intense tension caused by the competition between the women characters is also shown in â€Å"So Long a Letter† when the two men, Modou Fall and Mawdo Bà ¢, marry their second wives. In this essay I will be discussing how men are shown to be the prime cause of competition between the women characters in the novels â€Å"The Doctor’s Wife† and â€Å"So Long a Letter† and why the writers use this element. This competition helps in developing the plots of the two novels. For example, throughout the letter that Ramatoulaye writes to Aissatou, the plot of â€Å"So Long a Letter† revolves around the second marriages of Modou Fall and Mawdo Bà ¢. This creates a sense of competition between Ramatoulaye and Aissatou, their first wives respectively. The competition between Ramatoulaye and Binetou to acquire the attention of their husband, Modou Fall and between Aissatou and la Petite Nabou for Mawdo Bà ¢ is what keeps the readers’ interest in the novel. This competition becomes all the more evident when Ramatoulaye describes the formalities involved in carrying out the death ceremony for her husband, Modou Fall. When all the formalities have ended, Binetou, Ramatoulaye’s ‘co-Wife’, finally leaves. This gives Ramatoulaye a sense of relief. This occurs when she says, â€Å"Tonight Binetou, my co-Wife, will return to her SICAP villa. At last! Phew!†(Bà ¢, p. 8) Her expressions and feelings about Binetou are expressed... ...ice has known thirty years of silence, thirty years of harassment.†(Bà ¢, p. 57) This clearly gives a picture of the mental state of Ramatoulaye after Modou’s second marriage. Again, this is the result of the competition that Modou created between Ramatoulaye and Binetou. From this, we are able to conclude that men have been shown to be the primary cause of competition between women characters in the novels â€Å"The Doctor’s Wife† and â€Å"So Long a Letter†. This competition has been used by the writers to enhance the plot development, by creating conflict and to show the mental state of women. Thus the novels make reading interesting for the readers. Bibliography †¢ Ariyoshi, Sawako. The Doctor’s Wife. Trans. Wakako Hironaka and Ann Siller Kostant. Tokyo: Kodansha Int. 2003. †¢ Bà ¢, Mariama. So Long a Letter. Trans. Modupà © Bodà ©-Thomas. London: Heinemann, 1989. Print.

Life is a Gift Essay

Life is a gift. It is an honor; a spark; an excitement. We all have a world of our own. A wise author, Albert Camus, once stated, â€Å"you will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life† (Albert Camus). Life is about living to your fullest abilities; why waste our time looking for the meaning of each breath we take? Each person is a part of life. Each life has a world of its own. I believe that the meaning of life, defined by Victor E. Frankl, is to find meaning in our own life. Each and every person on this planet has a meaning to his own life, and is a unique and independent individual. And so, the question comes along, â€Å"Who am I? † The answer is I. I am who I am, and not one person can ever change that. My life is exceedingly meaningful, and is made up of a series of rituals, experiences, a plentiful amount of mistakes, and many various emotions. According to the article, The Rite of Passage, a ritual â€Å"help[s] us understand the changes in our lives and give meaning to experiences† we undergo. Rituals express who we are today, as well as the sum total of our actions, feelings, and thoughts that makes each person in this world, a single, individual person. An example of a major ritual and life-changing event in the Odyssey is the trial of the bow. During this scene, a disguised Odysseus surpassed a difficult task, as he without effort strung the challenging bow. Odysseus, after laying the arrow on the arch, shot the mighty bow â€Å"with careful aim, not miss[ing] an axe’s ring from first to last† (Homer 2011). This scene makes a change in not only Odysseus’s life, but also his son, Telemachus, and his wife, Penelope. The trial of the bow is an important Rite of Passage, offering significance to each one of their lives. Just like Odysseus, I have progressed through a numerous amount of rituals, along with experiences, mistakes, truths and actions, all leading up to the fourteen year old girl I am today. Although each person has a different opinion on what surrounds us, I believe the nature of the universe is full of the unknown. The world is a scary place to be in, it encloses us in, with nothing but mystery. It is a frightening thing, to move on with your life not knowing what will happen in the next few moments, but that is what life is all about; the unknown. We surround ourselves with questions that can never be answered; yet we need to learn to live life in the present, not thinking about the future with every step we take. No one in this world is fearless, in fact, according to H. L. Mencken, â€Å"The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear – fear of the unknown, the complex, the inexplicable. What he wants above everything else is safety† (H. L. Mencken). In agreement to Mencken, nothing in this world is safe; we waste seconds; minutes; hours; even days worrying about our fears. Worrying about our fears of the unknown. I believe we can’t relate to this unknown universe, however, we can live with it. Instead of waking up each day wondering what the unknown is, we need to wake up everyday focusing on what we do know, and interpreting that information into what we understand. In order to find the meaning in our lives, we each need control over our lives. I control my life one hundred percent. I make me own decisions, choose my individual actions, and control my responses. We have complete control over our own lives. However, the one think we do not have control over is other people’s actions and decisions. Although we have the power in our individual lives, others may influence our judgments, choices, and conclusions. All of these factors affect whom we are, along with the fact that we can’t control others reactions, which may cause poor influence on us. For example, in the novel, The Odyssey, Odysseus sails a long journey home, facing many distractions, challenges, and adventures. He encounters many different monsters that stop him in his path, including Cyclops, The Sirens, and Poseidon. Although Odysseus can control his actions, and the way he fights, he has a weakness when it comes to his opponents. Just like Odysseus, we can control our actions and responses, but when it comes to having others involves, we have no control over how they can act and make their choices. Living life freely, with no regrets, and accomplishing all of our goals. That is a satisfying life. Taking risks, without worrying, loving ourselves, being happy with our achievements, and experiencing all different emotions is what life is all about. A variety of different feelings occur throughout our lives; we need happiness, excitement, fears, anger, and even tears to lead a fulfilling life. In the independent reading novel, entitled Speak; Melinda Sordino writes about emotions and feelings, â€Å"When people don’t express themselves, they die one piece at a time† (Anderson 58). Melinda believes the reasons people need to express themselves is because everyone needs to experience all kinds of emotions in order to interact and stay alive. In the Odyssey, Both Odysseus and Telemachus are involved by an overwhelming amount of emotions. Without the emphasis of their feelings without the novel, the story would have much less meaning and would not be as dramatic. Emotions add to our everyday conversations and feelings towards each other. We need them to live a satisfying, enjoyable life. I believe, in order to find the meaning of my life, I need to sit back, relax, and let the question answer itself. In order to survive, and live for as long as possible, I have to enjoy my life in the present. Not be thinking about the future, and where life is going to take me; but live life as it is brought to me, rather then bringing myself to my life. By being patient and letting my life come to me as time goes on, I am sure to survive for a longer, happier, and more exciting period of time. Yet, at the conclusion to each person’s life, the certainty of death must strike. Getting ourselves ready for this unpredictable day is very easy, as long as we’ve accomplished everything that we have set out to achieve, death may appear whenever it feels the need to. It is a misfortunate thing, though, as some deaths develop so quickly and suddenly, we do not have time to say our goodbyes. Nor do the victims have time to achieve their goals, and pass on wishes. An example of a sudden death is in the novel entitles Lost for Words, by Alice Kuipers. In the story, Sophie’s older sister died traumatically in a sudden train bombing. Due to the death, it ripped Sophie’s family apart. They stopped talking to each other, and everything became awkward between her and her mother. Because of the unpredictable death at such a young age, her sister was, sorrowfully, not ready for her time to come. She may have not achieved her goals in life, and got to take as many risks as life leads her too, making it an even bigger tragedy for Sophie and her family. There were a number of dreadful deaths in the Odyssey as well. These included Odysseus’ crew, Odysseus’ mother, and many suitors. From reading all of these disastrous scenes and stories about death, I have learned that in order to reconcile myself for the inevitability of death, I need to start living my life with many risks, and no regrets. By living my life without any doubts, and enjoying my life in the present, I can be sure to live a long, satisfying life, ready for the fate of death for whenever it decides to doom on me. I believe the meaning of life, is to find meaning in our own, individual lives. By waiting for life to come to me, and enjoying the present in a way of happiness, enjoyment, and risks, I can be sure to eventually come to a full understanding of why I am here, living today. Each life has a world of its own, and each person his own life. Each person in this world will have a different story to share, and a different meaning and impact on our world today.

Emerging Models by Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice

The article Emerging Models by Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice discussed several behavior management techniques that can be implemented especially in schools for children with disabilities. School-wide strategies was found effective as long as there is staff commitment, clearly defined procedures, and support plans that address the behavior problems of students (CECP, 1997). These strategies, supported with unified behavior management approach and practices can prevent student behavior problems. For beginning teachers, it is recommended that they follow a set of behavior management techniques as guidelines in managing student behavior. For instance, strategies such as â€Å"Self-Manager Program† which gives students with points for good behavior, or the â€Å"Chance Ticket System† which rewards students for their good behavior, are some of effective system that facilitates management of student behavior (CECP, 1997). The article Emerging Models is a useful source for this subject because it provides brief and yet sensible information on how to manage student behavior. Paraprofessionals are among the important elements in managing student behavior. They are the personnel who help teachers focus on their responsibilities through assistance in student monitoring and clerical works (Afolabi, 2002). In general, their roles focus on aiding and assisting teachers in their classroom duties. To plan and best utilize the roles of paraprofessionals, it is important that they are given with more training, not just as a teacher aide, but also as future teachers. The article written by Alfobi (2002) is a useful resource for this subject because it discusses information on the roles of a paraprofessional, as well as recommendations on how to improve the status of paraprofessionals.

5 Presidential Words and Phrases for Presidents’ Day

5 Presidential Words and Phrases for Presidents’ Day 5 Presidential Words and Phrases for Presidents’ Day Some presidents have their faces carved into mountains. Others appear on our money. But some presidents have also left a mark on the English language. So to mark Presidents’ Day this year, we’re taking a look at some interesting words and phrases popularized by US presidents. 1. Washington’s Administration George Washington: Anything but average. George Washington was the first President of the United States. It is thus appropriate that he was also the first person to use â€Å"administration† to refer to a president’s time in office. Washington is, in fact, cited as the first person to use of a number of words, including common terms such as â€Å"indoors† and â€Å"average.† However, this is partly because Washington’s diaries have been preserved while other documents from the time have been lost. As such, â€Å"indoors† and â€Å"average† were probably in common use even before Washington wrote them down. 2. Harding’s Founding Fathers The term â€Å"Founding Fathers† is now commonly used to refer to the men involved in founding the United States, including those who drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence. But this phrase only caught on when Warren G. Harding used it in a speech in 1918. To be exact, in a speech to The Sons and Daughters of the Revolution in Washington, DC, Harding said: â€Å"It is good to meet and drink at the fountains of wisdom inherited from the founding fathers of the Republic.† - Address on Washington’s Birthday (1918). Harding also used the phrase in a speech when he was officially notified of his nomination for the presidency. And since then it has become a common part of our language. 3. FDR’s â€Å"Iffy† Language The ever iffy FDR. Even today, â€Å"iffy† is not an especially statesmanlike word. So it must have sounded very strange when Franklin D. Roosevelt invented it in the 1930s. In particular, he enjoyed using it at press briefings, where he would dismiss hypothetical queries he did not like as â€Å"iffy† questions (i.e., questions that depend on an â€Å"if† scenario rather than current facts). 4. Lincoln Sugarcoats a Message to Congress Abraham Lincoln was not the first person to use the term â€Å"sugarcoat† to mean â€Å"make something superficially attractive.† It was, in fact, a common colloquialism before he got to it. But this term may have been too common for John Defrees, the man in charge of public printing at the time, who described its use in a message to congress as â€Å"undignified.† Abe was not put off, though, replying to Defrees that the controversial word â€Å"expresses precisely my idea, and I am not going to change it. The time will never come in this country when the people won’t know exactly what sugar-coated means!† And so far, at least, Lincoln was right. 5. George Bush Jr’s Linguistic Creativity Finally, we end with a president not widely celebrated for his linguistic achievements: George W. Bush. But Bush Jr’s habit of misspeaking gave rise to entirely new words, such as â€Å"misunderestimate,† meaning to underestimate by mistake. And who are we to say that he is wrong? It may only be a matter of time before â€Å"misunderstimate† enters the dictionary. That said, we’re still confused by what he meant when he said â€Å"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.† So perhaps we shouldn’t get carried away with our Bushisms quite yet†¦ Dont misunderestimate him

Right action (Respect for others) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Right action (Respect for others) - Essay Example Successful society is impossible without productive and effective communication between its people, that’s why the main moral code people teach their children to bring them up adequate participants of society is based on respectful attitude to others. And even though different ethical concepts argue about their moral approaches, the aspect of respect towards others always stays in all of them in the same understanding of the notion of respect. To be respectful towards others means not to be selfish with people, but to pay attention on their personalities, to be interested in how their lives are going. There are many ways to show your interest to people. The most elementary rule is to listen to what people tell you. This sounds pretty simple, but we usually do not notice that while communicating we forget to listen, because it is more important for us to say something than to show your interest to your interlocutor by simple listening. We usually feel badly when somebody doesn’t listen to our speech, but frequently we treat people the same way. While communicating it is very important for people to be asked about something they are interested in; if you ask something, people feel that you are interested in them, so they start attracting you. The second way to behave respectfully is to be nice to people. It is even easily than listening. To be nice means to tell them something that shows that you adore them, or respe ct, or disposed towards them – depends on situation. But the main point is to be positively inclined towards them. For example, in formal communication we usually show our respect by following the rules of this kind of communication, in colloquial speech we use words of attraction, compliments (which in fact may be used in any situation, if appropriate), praises etc. But it is important to consider their relevance in particular situation, of course. Actually the easiest way to define how respect looks like is to pass different ways of

How Do Companies Use Global Strategies to Gain Competitive Advantage Essay

How Do Companies Use Global Strategies to Gain Competitive Advantage - Essay Example There are various firms which used to operate on local basis and the performance f such firms used to be pretty subdued. But those companies entered the international market only to gain competitive advantage and became major multinational companies. The present study has been conducted in order to analyze how companies use the global strategy to gain competitive advantage. Also the essential success factors of firms to succeed in the international business have been discussed. Add to that it has also been discussed that how companies can fail in the international market due to lack of planning and vision. The firms at the focal point of discussion happen to be the largest retailer in U.K. and the second largest retailer in the world Tesco (Henry, 2008, p. 89). Thesis How companies can use globalization strategy to gain competitive advantage? Analysis Global strategy can be defined as the strategic guide of a company to globalization. On the other competitive advantage can be defined as various ways via which a company can get the extra edge over the competitors. An ideal global strategy of a company should address issues such as the extent of presence in the global market, different strategies that can be adopted to develop strong global presence, the probable barriers to entry into the global markets, different modes of entry into the global market as well as the probable targeted international markets. Academic research on the global strategies came of age during 1980s. This included various research work done by Christopher Bartlett, Michael Porter and Sumantra Ghoshal (Kolb, 2008, p. 92). There are various factors that influence a firm to go global. However, one of the most important of the factors is the drive to get... This paper makes a conclusion that In the modern day business environment globalization is inevitable. Companies look to go beyond the domestic borders to enter new markets and target new customers. There is very little doubt that entering new foreign markets are extremely risky. But with high risks the company gets the opportunity of high return. One of the main objectives of entering the global markets is to gain competitive advantage overt the competitors. This essay stresses that one classic advantage of this has been Tesco as the firm used to be 2nd best retailer in U.K. But as the company decided to enter global markets, Tesco not only became the largest retailer in U.K. but also the third largest retailer in the world. However, there are some issues that a company should keep in mind while entering a global market. One of the major issues is the choice of market entry strategy. While Tesco went for a joint venture which seemed to be quite fruitful for China; the same company d ecided to go alone and use Greenfield strategy to enter U.S. which unlike China happened to be a matured economy. Also it had presence of Wal-Mart. And unlike china Tesco failed to make the same impact. Although there were other external factors but the major issues for failure was internal. Hence to conclude it can be said that despite of all the benefits of globalization a company should concentrate on developing appropriate strategy and execution of it to gain competitive advantages.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Globalisation (find a topic on it) Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility and Globalisation (find a topic on it) - Essay Example It reveals the way many companies have tried to employ CSR strategy in order to achieve successful business performance in the competitive global market. Globalization has contributed to varied changes in the international business activities. The literature attempts to analyze the way global integration has radically risen due to increased technological advancement; thus stakeholders have now started implementing CSR strategy in order to sustain their business in the competitive global market. Thus, despite the growing concern to the global CSR frameworks and globalisation issues, the literature review systematically examines the increased concern on adherents to these frameworks for the last decades. Global corporate social responsibility has emerged in the last decades as the significant strategy employed by varied multinational corporations in the global business for creating effective business performance. In spite of the growing concern of CSR and globalisation aspects, many scholars have attempted to examine the increasing number of adherents to the CSR frameworks (Lim and Tsutsui 2012, p. 2; Zaremba 2009, p. 127). From a rational actor model, the increased number of CSR is a puzzle since the costs and benefits associated with these frameworks are profoundly uncertain (Lim and Tsutsui 2012, p. 2). Many multinational companies that have attempted to operate their business across the globe have considerably gained some public relation benefits for demonstrating their commitment to CSR principles. Although corporations employing CSR might gain public relations benefits, some of them have been accused of making empty promises and evading regulatory devices. Many scholars have argued on the issue of CSR in relation to the multinational corporations and their capability to adhere to the international policies where they operate (Cramer, 2006, p. 78;

Case Note Record of Key Worker Session Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Note Record of Key Worker Session - Essay Example When I inquired about the reason of his insomnia, he informed me that he had been undergoing a lot of stress for the past few days, especially when he stayed with his mother in her house. Since his mother is unemployed, she heavily relies on him for monthly expenses and tends to get abusive, if he does not provide adequately. This has been constant practise for the past 2 months. Since he has high respect and regard for her, he is unsure about how to handle the situation. According to him, the insomnia stems from the fact that he constantly thinks about ways to make additional money to support his mother’s lifestyle. Now its come to a point where he is unable to deal with it anymore, and admitted that as his discharge day gets closer, he is getting increasingly worried about moving in back to his mother’s house. He expressed his desire to buy a house for and live there by himself. He himself suggested that it would be a great way to address his insomnia and bipolar diso rder that he had been admitted for. Mr. Cooper said that he would often move to his friend’s apartment for a few days to clear his mind, when things got worse with his mother. Clearly, one of the reasons for Mr. Cooper’s insomnia and phases of depression is due to his unhappiness when with his mother. I suggested him a counseling session with one of the doctors at the department of psychology. In my opinion, these findings and revelations could be new leads in diagnosing Mr. Cooper’s condition, and prompt action should be taken, before his discharge, which is scheduled on the 3rd of December. Sincerely, Head nurse, Department of Psychiatry Discharge Summary Patients name: Dennis Cooper Age: 45 years Condition: Bipolar disorder Discharge time: 12:45 pm, December 3rd, 2011 Summary: A 45-year old male was admitted due to severe depression and an attempted, failed suicide on November 25th, 2011 at 4pm, by an overdose of Diazepam. The patient is a known case of Bipol ar II disorder. On admission, he was immediately given a gastric lavage. Following the lavage, vital parameters were normal, and BP was 120/80. On awakening, the patient started talking incessantly, smiling constantly and seemed very excited and elated. This lasted for approximately 3 hours, after which he fell asleep. After awakening from a 6-hour nap, the patient had a severe headache, which subsided after administration of Advil, however, he was sobbing inconsolably for no apparent reason and appeared dejected and low. In order to relieve this phase of depression, Divalproex, clonazepam and Lithium were commenced. No more of such acute episodes of either mania or depression were observed during the course of his stay. The patient was under moderate sedation and antidepressants throughout his stay at the center, and this combination was helpful in maintaining a neutral state of mind, without any agitation or depression. On December 1st, he underwent counseling with the department of psychiatry, about certain issues, which in his opinion were causes for his insomnia and bipolar syndrome. A follow up with Dr. Shinde is recommended after a week of discharge. The current medication sheet that he is currently prescribed and needs to be continued is attached with this summary sheet. Medication: Lithium: 0.5 mg OD Divalproex: 250 mg BD Clonazepam: 0.25 mg BD Follow up: Dec. 11, Community Hospital Attending physician: Dr. Jay Shinde Comments: In case of sudden

Jetblue Airways SWOT and Financial Analysis

Jetblue Airways SWOT and Financial Analysis Executive summary In this report, the financial position of JetBlue Airways Corporation, a low-fare, low-cost passenger Airline Company serving the US market, is studied in order to provide recommendations to the company with regards to its investments plans. By the year 2003, the company is intending to support its growth through the acquisition of several new aircraft over the coming 13 years. The company will thus need a high capital expenditure to support those acquisitions, as well as several related investments. For the purpose of this study, a SWOT analysis of JetBlue as by its position in June 2003 is performed. A background research is conducted in order to assess how other airline companies are financing their aircraft acquisitions and other investments, and in a broader aspect, study the specificities of their financial structures. The different financing alternatives available to the company are presented and studied in relation to the financial position of the company. A non-financial analysis of the debt and equity options is conducted, in order to assess the relevance of each of those options with regards to all areas of the business other than finance. The outcomes of those analyses are combined and a recommendation is issued to the Chief Financial Officer of JetBlue: It is recommended that the company issues common stock in order to finance the needed investments in the second half of 2003. In a longer-term perspective, it is recommended to the company to use leases and secured debt for the upcoming aircraft acquisitions when favorable terms are available to the company, and to finance the remaining parts of the investments through cash generated from operations and through issuance of new equity, in order to compensate for the increasing financial and operational risks of the company. Problem Definition JetBlue Airways Corporation is a low-fare, low-cost passenger airline company serving the US market. The company completed an IPO in April 2002, around two years after it was founded. JetBlue has had a successful business model and strong financial results during that period, and performed well in comparison to other airline companies in the US during the period between 2000 and 2003. The company, as by July 2003, is seeing several opportunities to grow by adding new markets and new flights to existing destinations. To accomplish this growth, the company is seeking to purchase 65 new Airbus A320, with an option to buy additional 50 ones, and also committed to purchase 100 Embraer E190 aircraft, with the option to purchase 100 additional ones. The company needs thus to think about a way to finance those acquisitions, as well as other needed investments such as spare parts, new engines, additional hangars and a flight training center. John Owen, the Chief Financial Officer of JetBlue, is in charge of finding the best financing scheme for the company. The problem facing John Owen is twofold: First, he needs to finance the acquisitions planned for the second half of 2003. Indeed, for the period from July 1 to December 31, 2003, the company has committed to purchase 8 Airbus A320 aircraft, for a total amount of $305 million to be paid in 2003 (Exhibit 8). The company is generating cash from its operating activities that amounted to $129,725 thousand for the first half of 2003, and already generated $238,989 thousand from financing activities (Exhibit 6). This will cover for part of this capital expenditure estimated at $570 million for 2003 (Exhibit 9). So John Owen needs to finance the remaining part of this capital expenditure. Second, John Owen needs to think about a long-term financing strategy. Indeed, JetBlue is committed to the purchase of 207 additional aircraft for a total amount of $6.86 billion over 8 years. Owen has to think about the best capital structure for the company and thus the best financing strategy for JetBlues investments, including the aircraft acquisitions and the related investments. SWOT Analysis Strengths The first strength of JetBlue is its founding teams background. Indeed, the company was founded by a veteran in the low-fare airline industry, backed by a group of private equity firms. The management of the company has also the expertise of leading a publicly held company, following the IPO in 2002. The company has a successful business model and exhibits strong financial results, as well as strong revenue growth despite the downturn in the industry following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Thus, JetBlue is a perceived as a solid and growing company by the investors. The low operation costs of JetBlue are one of the most important strengths of the company. The company is utilizing aircraft efficiently generating more revenue per plane. The company is also operating one type of aircraft, the Airbus A320, thus lowering maintenance and training costs and spare parts needs. The workforce of JetBlue is non-unionized and does not benefit from strict work regulations. The distribution costs of JetBlue are also low. Indeed, the company does not provide any paper tickets. The company operates only new airplanes, thus minimizing maintenance costs and offering a good â€Å"flying experience† to its customers. The company also benefits from its reliable on-time performance, comfortable airplanes, and friendly flying personnel to attract and secure its customer base. The company serves densely populated cities in underserved airports, with high fares. This strategy helps the company capture market share in these segments. The company is financing its existing aircraft through secured debt and operating leases, on favorable terms. Those financing possibilities are still available for the company for additional aircraft purchase. Weaknesses A considerable weakness of JetBlue is its small size. The company is operating 42 aircraft, for 73 flights per day and annual revenues of $635 million. The company can probably not rely on its personnel loyalty, due to the non-advantageous working conditions and regulation. The company is operating only one type of airplane, the Airbus A320. This represents a weakness for the company as well. Indeed, the planes have the same age and might all suffer at the same time from an eventual recurrent technical problem on this type of aircraft, which should be catastrophic for the company. JetBlue does not have a line of credit, or short-term borrowing facility. Therefore, the company depends on its operating cash flow to finance its short-term and working capital obligations. The balance sheet of the company also needs to be strengthened. JetBlue also faces one of the airlines principal risks which is the rising fuel price. The company is spending a considerable amount of money in hedging for fuel prices volatility. In addition, as the company is relatively consuming low volumes of fuel, it can suffer from significantly higher prices in case of fuel shortage. JetBlue is a levered company. With a short-term debt of $26,580 thousand and a long-term debt of $731,740 thousand as by June 2003, and equity of $480,594 thousand, the companys leverage ratio is 157.8%, whereas the industry average is around 129.46% (Infinancials). Opportunities Internal The purchase of the new 100-seat Embraer E190 aircraft would allow JetBlue to enter smaller markets while maintaining low operating costs, and increase flight frequency on existing routes. The private placement of convertible debt proposed by JetBlues investment bankers would provide sufficient capital at relatively low interest rates. JetBlue is a fast growing company, and should thus bear having less debt. The company has thus the opportunity to raise additional equity. External The low fares offered by JetBlue would allow it to attract new passengers who might otherwise not fly. The mid-sized market that JetBlue intends to enter will represent a new opportunity for growth to the company. By expanding its activities, the company will purchase larger volumes of jet fuel and would thus have more leverage in procuring fuel than today. The company will thus suffer relatively less from fuel shortages. Threats Internal The company is intending to grow and become an airline company â€Å"like the others†. JetBlue might thus lose its advantages from being low-cost, small and highly profitable. The company is clearly departing from its strategy, which has been the source of its strengths up to 2003. JetBlue plans to purchase a new type of aircraft, the Embraer E190. This is again a departure from the companys initial strategy which is to operate only one type of aircraft. JetBlue might thus incur higher maintenance and training costs, higher spare parts and engines costs, and some negative impact on the maintenance scheduling. JetBlue plans to increase its aircraft fleet from 45 to 252. In addition, the company plans to invest in other domains such as spare parts, new engines, additional hangars and a flight training center. This represents a very big investment and thus a consequent threat for the company. Such an investment will let the company more exposed to financial distress and raises the question of the management ability to cope with such a rapid expansion. The company board members are very concerned about dilution. There is a threat that they will not support John Owen, the CFO, if he recommends to raise new equity capital. With the rapid expansion of the company, the jet fuel expenses, as well as the cost of their hedging will grow rapidly. The company will be more exposed to both the fuel price volatility and the growing cost of hedging it. As the company will get bigger, with higher manpower, those might want to be unionized. External The fuel price is also an external factor due to its non-predictable volatility. JetBlue plans to be the launch customer for the new Embraer E190 aircraft. Although this allowed probably the company to have a price discount, it is also a threat. JetBlue might be exposed to technical and/or non-technical problems that have been not detected by the manufacturer or other users of the jet. The reason for the company to go public was to wean off its dependence on the venture capital and private equity industries. Issuing private debt securities represent a threat for JetBlue as this might lock back the company to such private investors. In addition, those investors and the private investors in general might not be interested by the eventual convertible debenture issued by the company. JetBlue is a small client of Morgan Stanley, the investment bank in charge of proposing financing alternatives for the company. Morgan Stanley might thus charge heavily JetBlue, and/or try to bias the companys choice for its benefit. The competition from other low-cost and regular airline companies which might try to counter JetBlues expansion. The revenues of the company and its growth aspirations are subject to the economic conditions. An economic downturn or additional terrorist attacks might impact negatively JetBlues ability to finance its debt obligations. The company will also have to secure additional airport gates which will represent a threat for the company in case it cannot negotiate advantageous conditions as with underserved airports. The alternatives In order to finance the acquisitions planned for the remaining part of 2003, JetBlue received two financial propositions from the investment banks. The first alternative is to issue additional 2.6 million shares at an estimated $42.50 per share. JetBlue will thus be able to raise up to $110.5 million. The fees and commissions of the bank for this proposal amount to $3,591,250 which represents a cost of 3.25%. The second proposal from the investment banks is to issue $150 million in a private placement of convertible debentures. The debentures will be a 30-year convertible debt with a coupon rate of 3.5%. In addition, the debt will be convertible into shares of JetBlue at $63.75 per share, which represents a conversion rate of 15.6863 shares per $1,000 principal amount of notes. The notes will be unsecured obligations and will rank equal in right of payment with all other unsecured debt. Currently, all of JetBlues debt is secured. The bank will not charge any additional fees for this alternative. JetBlue can consider some other alternatives as well. Indeed, the company can issue some preferred stock. This stock might be considered as equity in accounting, to strengthen the balance sheet of the company, but will at the same time accommodate the board members concern about dilution. This preferred stock option might however fail to attract investors. Another alternative might be the issuance of simple corporate bonds. The coupon rate for those will however be higher than the 3.5% of the convertible bonds. This option will thus cost more for JetBlue than convertible bonds, especially before the companys shares price eventually exceeds $63.75. Issuing public corporate bonds will have higher cost for the company as well. Indeed, those need to be ranked by some ranking agencies and will have higher coupon rates (Exhibit 12). Two other alternatives exist for JetBlue, for the aircraft acquisitions financing: The operating lease and the secured debt (each acquisition debt is secured by the acquired aircraft). Those two options are available for JetBlue at advantageous conditions. Thus, the alternatives that will be retained for the remaining of the analysis are the operating lease and secured debt for the aircraft acquisitions, and the equity issuance and the convertible private bonds for the acquisitions and the other investments. Background Research Some background research has been performed in order to assess how other airline companies are financing their aircraft acquisitions and other investments, and in a broader aspect, study the specificities of their financial structures. This study included some regular as well as low-cost airline companies. British airway, for example, is financing its aircraft acquisitions through debt, all of which being asset related. The group is principally using finance leases and hire purchases contracts to acquire aircraft (British Airways Annual Report 2010, p.104). Delta Airlines, on its side, is using pass-through certificates to finance aircraft (Delta Airlines Annual Report 2010, p.34). In addition, the company has $5.2 billion of loans secured by 287 aircraft (Delta Airlines Annual Report 2010, p.72). United Continental Holdings has a high amount of obligations, including debt, aircraft leases and financings (United Continental Holdings Annual Report 2010, p.53). A substantial portion of the companys assets, principally aircraft, are pledged under various loans and other obligations. The company also uses secured notes, equipment notes, pass-through certificates and multiple financings secured by certain aircraft spare parts, aircraft and spare engines (United Continental Holdings Annual Report 2010, p.55). United Continental Holdings also raises cash from issuance of common stock (United Continental Holdings Annual Report 2010, p.56). The low-cost airline companies seem to be, on their side, more conservative. Indeed, EasyJet is adopting a conservative capital structure policy, including a liquidity target of  £4 million cash per aircraft, and a 50% limit on net gearing (EasyJet Annual Report 2010, p.9). All of the companys debt is asset related (EasyJet Annual Report 2010, p.85). The company holds 62 aircraft under operating leases and 8 aircraft under finance leases, out of 196 total aircraft, principally Airbus (EasyJet Annual Report 2010, p.87). RyanAir, another low-cost airline company, has a fleet of 232 Boing 737-800s. The company makes its firm-order purchases through a combination of bank loans, operating and finance leases and cash flow generated from the companys operations (RyanAir Annual Report 2010, p.42). Both RyanAir and EasyJet exhibit a capital structure that relies less on debt than the regular companies counterparts, as illustrated by the following table: It is important to mention that some small airline companies choose to issue bonds for their investments as well. SpiceJet, an Indian airline company operating to Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Goa and Delhi issued in 2005 foreign currency convertible bonds worth $90 million to fund aircraft acquisitions (IndiaAviation, 2005). All in all, airline companies are using both debt and equity (together with other financing means, including cash flows generated from operations) to raise money. In its ‘Airlines return to capital markets article, David Knibb (2009) summarizes the ways several companies found financings: Lufthansa, Air-France KLM, British Airways, Air Canada, Australias Virgin Blue, Avianca and Indian carrier Kingfisher all issued bonds during 2009. AMR used private lenders to borrow money. Some other companies, smaller, chose to issue shares: SAS, Virgin Blue, AirAsia, Kingfisher, and Icelandair. From this study, it appears that the majority of airline companies are financing their aircraft acquisitions, apart from using cash flow generated by operations, through debt, either leases or secured debt. Other investment needs are financed either through debt or equity, depending on the companies. However, a common trend to low-cost companies seems to be their conservative financial structures, in comparison to bigger, regular airline companies. Financial Analysis of the Alternatives As per June 2003, JetBlue Corporation has a short-term debt of $26,580 thousand, a long-term debt of $731,740 thousand and equity of total $480,594 thousand (Exhibit 5a). In order to compute an average interest rate for the company, data from 2002 are used: The interest expenses for this year equaled $10,370 thousand (exhibit 4), for a total long-term debt of $690,252 thousand (Exhibit 5a), thus an interest rate of 1,5%. The tax expenses as per June 2003 are of $40,188 thousand for a total earnings before tax of $95,503 thousand (exhibit 4), thus a corporate tax rate of 0.42. From exhibit 1, the JetBlues equity beta during the period from April 2002 to June 2003 is 0.69. As per the data from Exhibit 5a for June 2003, the financial structure of the company was as follows: From the Hamadas formula, we can compute the unlevered beta of JetBlue as follows: Beta(u)=Beta(l)/[1+(1-T)*(Wd/We)] With Beta(l)=0.69, T=0.42, Wd=61.21 and We=38.79 Thus Beta(u)=0.36 In addition, from exhibit 12, the Treasury bill interest rate as of June 30, 2003 is 1.09%, this will be used as the risk-free rate of return. Assuming a market rate of return 9 points higher than the risk-free return, we can use the WACC spreadsheet in order to estimate the financial structure of JetBlue that minimizes the WACC of the company: Appendix 1. It turns out that the company has an optimal financial structure, minimizing its weighted average cost of capital, following those estimated figures. Any of the two options, either the convertible debt or the equity, will probably pull the financial structure from its current optimal position. For the first alternative, the convertible debenture, the coupon rate of this bond is 3.5%, for a total amount of $150,000 thousand. The weighted average cost of debt for JetBlue, if they issue such bonds, will be: [(3.5%*150,000)+(1.5%*731,740)]/(150,000+731,740), thus 1.84%. The financial structure of JetBlue will be as follows: Using the WACC spreadsheet, we can see the companys financial position with regards to the optimal financial structure of JetBlue following the new cost of debt: Appendix2. If JetBlue chooses the debt option, the financial structure of the company will no more be the one offering the minimal WACC. The same analysis can be done for the second alternative. Following the shares issuance, the financial structure of JetBlue will be as follows: Using the WACC spreadsheet, we can see the companys financial position with regards to the optimal financial structure of JetBlue following the raise in equity: Appendix3. From this analysis, it can be noted that JetBlue will still have a financial position that minimizes the companys weighted average cost of capital, thus maximizing the overall value of the companys stock. It can be concluded, from a financial point of view, that the best alternative for the investments planned for 2003 is the equity issuance. Non-Financial Analysis JetBlues passenger revenues knew a steady growth from 2000 ($101,665 thousand) to 2002 ($615,171 thousand). The revenues are forecasted to continue to grow up to a level of $1,796.9 million in 2005 (Exhibit 9). This revenue stability and expected high growth provide a strong confidence to JetBlue in its ability to meet its financial obligations, thus having the opportunity to issue either debt or equity. The companys assets amount to $1,565,322 thousand as per June 2003. Those assets are principally composed by operating property and equipment, which are pledged under the operating leases and secured debt of the company. If JetBlue chooses to finance its future aircraft acquisitions by debt, the acquired aircraft can be used to secure the corresponding debt. JetBlue, as any airline company, incurs very high fixed costs due to its high value operating property and equipment. The company has thus a very high operating leverage and is greatly exposed to the risk of cash flow projections errors in case it does not meet the projected revenues figures. Any variation in the estimated revenues, might lead the company to a position where it could not meet its financial obligations related to debt. From this point of view, JetBlue needs to secure its cash flows. As stated earlier, the company revenues knew a high growth for the precedent years and are expected to continue growing steadily. This high level of growth allows the company to rely on equity. JetBlue is a profitable company, in comparison to peers, as stated in the following graph: JetBlue exhibits good levels of gross margin and operating margin. Furthermore, the companys return on sales, return on assets and return on equity are higher than industry averages and the company can be said to be quite profitable in comparison to company peers. This offers some flexibility to the company to rely on debt. JetBlue has a high level of tax rate (0.42), this allows the company to have an even lower cost of debt and offers the company the advantage of being able to rely more on debt in order to minimize its weighted average cost of capital. All of the companys debt is secured. In addition, the company does not have any line of credit, or short-term borrowing facility. The company does therefore not have any control restrictions or obligations towards its creditors. The shareholders of the company are on their side very concerned about any dilution. This fear of losing the control of the company limits the possibility of the CFO to issue new equity. The founding and managerial team of JetBlue is issued from the airline industry. They are used to manage a highly leveraged and public company. They should thus have a positive attitude towards high levels of debt. They should be able to deal with the opposite aspect (issuing more equity) as well. JetBlue does not need any rating agency for the issuance of the bonds, as those are private. The alternative of issuing public bonds has been eliminated as this one will incur higher costs for the company. The lenders of the company seem on their side to have a positive attitude towards the company, which should be able to issue additional secured debt for its aircraft acquisitions with advantageous conditions. The company has been performing well in the recent years. However, many major US air carriers struggled between 2000 and 2003, and some of them filed for bankruptcy protection. The market is impacted by a general economic slowdown caused partly by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The market is also subject to big variations depending on several unpredictable factors, like political stability, weather conditions, natural disasters, terrorist attacks etc. All of this calls for some financial conservatism for the airline industry. The internal stability of JetBlue will probably continue to hold, unless the company faces some financial distress, or if the shareholders are no more supporting the management team. From a short-term point of view, John Owen might lose the shareholders support if he goes for equity issuance. From a mid to long-term point of view, he might as well negatively impact the internal stability of the company if he is not conservative enough to avoid any financial distress situation. The debt offering will afford JetBlue less financial flexibility, especially due to the jet fuel prices. If fuel prices rise, this will incur less operating income and thus some difficulties to the company to meet its additional debt service payments. Owen has also to review his hedging strategy of the fuel prices volatility: If the company chooses to hedge more of its fuel consumption, it will incur much higher hedging costs. If on the contrary the company chooses to reduce hedging costs, it will be more exposed to financial distress when the prices increase. Conclusion: The best solution JetBlues market capitalization can be estimated at around $3.12 billion (74,423,693 * $41.98) as per June 30, 2003. The company is intending to grow heavily in the following years, and has plans to acquire 207 new aircraft for a total $6.86 billion up to 2011,